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Edmontosaurus
'Edmontosaurus' (name meaning "''Edmonton's Lizard"), also previously called Anatotitan (name meaning "Giant Duck"), is a genus of hadrosaurid dinosaur that originated during the Late Cretaceous period in what is now North America. Measuring around 13 meters long and weighing more than 4 tons, Edmontosaurus was among the largest species of hadrosaur. In the Series 2 finale "Fall of a Kingdom Part II: The Return of the King", a small herd of eight Edmontosaurus was brought back to the park from Montana of 65 million years ago. They reside in the Hadrosaur Springs enclosure of the park. Facts Era & Discovery Edmontosaurus lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous period from 76–65 million years ago. It was among the largest herbivores of its time and was also among the last member of the hadrosaur family of dinosaurs. Edmontosaurus was also one of the last non-avian dinosaurs on Earth before the mass extinction event. The first fossils named Edmontosaurus were discovered in southern Alberta in 1892 and named after Edmonton, the capital city, in the Horseshoe Canyon Formation (formerly called the lower Edmonton Formation). Physical Attributes Edmontosaurus was a very large hadrosaurian dinosaur, arguably the largest member of the hadrosaur family. They measured over 37–43 feet (11–13 m) long, stood 13 feet (4 m) tall at the hips, and weighed 4–6 tons (8,000–12,000 lbs.), the size of a railroad boxcar. Like the Iguanodon dinosaurs before it, Edmontosaurus could run up to speeds of 50kph. Despite its relatively large size, Edmontosaurus was preyed upon by predators, including the North American apex predator, Tyrannosaurus rex, as it viewed Edmontosaurus as a favorite prey item. It also had very large and wide hind legs and its front legs were short and chunky. Edmontosaurus was mainly yellow with brown stripes and a brown-colored bill. Its underbelly and feet were white. Like the other members of the group, Edmontosaurus had a large bill that resembled that of a modern duck - hence its original name. Within the bill was a large battery of teeth. These teeth were perfect for stripping vegetation and then chewing it rather than the more primitive method of swallowing it and lets its digestive system do all the work. Behavior & Traits Like all herbivores, Edmontosaurus lived and roamed in small groups to large herds, consisting of up to thousands of members. However, most males, when they reached maturity, separated from the heard and went off on their own to form their own herds. Each year, Edmontosaurus would have massive migrations following the rains from north to south and back, traveling 600 miles in the process. When feeding, huge batteries of chewing teeth made short work of the vegetation they ate. When chewing, Edmontosaurus's jaws moved from side to side. Edmontosaurus was relatively defenseless against any large carnivores, such as Tyrannosaurus. However, although it had very few weapons of choice, Edmontosaurus did possess the ability to run rather quickly for creatures as large as they were. Like its ancestors, the earlier Iguanodon dinosaurs, Edmontosaurus walked on all four legs but it could run on its hind legs. However, its speed never always guaranteed its safety. Additionally, Edmontosaurus possessed a massive tail that measured a staggering 23 feet (7 m) long. Edmontosaurus was able to use its tail like the arm of a crane, swinging it against smaller attackers like Dromaeosaurus. Journal Entry Gallery Cameo Anatotitan.PNG imagesCA1YRMQD.jpg|Edmontosaurus herd Anatotitan Migration.JPG imagesCAST7QWF.jpg imagesCA4Q7P1B.jpg untitled12.png imagesCATJKGGQ.jpg Microsoft-Edge-Web-Notes-Walking-w282563250.jpg Trivia *''Edmontosaurus'' was the largest hadrosaur, as well as ornithopod, brought to the park. *The sound effects of Edmontosaurus are that of camel, moose, hippo, altered duck/geese, elephant, and some horse sounds as well the Edmontosaurus sounds used in "Jurassic Fight Club" and the "Walking with Dinosaurs" movie. Category:Prehistoric Animals Category:Dinosaurs Category:Reptiles Category:Hadrosaurs Category:Cretaceous Dinosaurs Category:Cretaceous Wildlife Category:Ornithopods Category:Herbivores